Server Migration
From Web Development
All web sites hosted on the main Mason server, www.gmu.edu are going to be migrated to a new server. The old web server is being retired because it has reached its effective end-of-life date. The goal is to have all sites moved off the old server in the first few months of 2009.
The new web server will offer:
- Improved reliability
- Better server security
- Faster serving of web pages
Contents |
Will My Site Be Affected By the Migration?
This move only affects sites hosted on www.gmu.edu.
Note: This also includes any site that has a virtual host that points to the www.gmu.edu server.
If you are unsure what server hosts your web site, you can check using the Migration Site Check Tool
How Should I Prepare For Server Migration?
It is possible that some features of your site (including links, forms, scripts, and database applications) may become broken during the migration.
With proper planning these risks can be minimized.
Check Quota
- Quota is 200 MB for schools, centers, and departments and 100 MB for organizations
- Ensure that you are within your quota - a list of sites over quota is available or login via SSH and use the command:
quota -v
- If you are over quota on the new server you will not be able to upload new or changed files. Please clean your website of any files that are not needed on your site. DO NOT archive old versions of files, these should be stored somewhere on your local computer, if needed.
- Special exceptions can be made, but we will require the site is cleaned before granting an exception. Email webmaster@gmu.edu to request an exception, include the file path of your directory and reason for increase.
Inventory Site
- Make note of areas of the site to be tested post-migration. This should include:
- CGI scripts
- PHP scripts
- Database applications
- Forms
Collect Information About Your Site
The following information is needed in order to schedule your migration. If you do not know all the answers, please provide as much information as possible and the webmaster can help you fill out the remainder.
#------------------- Please Fill in the following ------------------- # Preferred Migration Date: # # Document root: # # Domain Name: # # Type(sch/dpt/ctr/org/none): # # Technical Contact: # Name: # Email: # # Department Head/Sponsor: # Department/School/Center/Organization: # Name: # Email:
After this information is collected, please send it to webmaster@gmu.edu This message should include reference to any of your applications that reference databases as these will need to be prepared for the migration.
What Do I Need to Do After My Site is Migrated?
After your site is migrated, any saved settings in your HTML editing program will need to be updated to reflect a new file path, or host directory. The server name, username, and password will remain the same.
- Server: mason.gmu.edu
- Username: your Mason userid (everything before the @ in your email address)
- Password: your OSF1 cluster password (If you forgot it, you can reset it)
- Host directory: /usr/local/htdocs2/yourfoldername (your new filepath will be provided at the time of your migration)
Test the connection to your site and that edits are being applied to your live site.
Test the areas of your site you identified pre-migration. Notify the webmaster of any problems with forms, scripts, databases, etc.